Collapsing cot

ABSTRACT

A collapsible cot with support legs that fold under the cot. This allows the cot support fabric to be attached at the ends of the support rails and keep the support fabric tight. This eliminates the need to have and extra support bar across the front and back of the cot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a division of application Ser. No. 12/370,596, filed on Feb. 13, 2009

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to support devices for sleeping, and more particularly, to such portable sleeping devices as cots or moveable beds designed to be folded and unfolded quickly and made portable to be carried by humans over long distances under severe environmental conditions, such as hiking or backpacking, but is equally adaptable as a light cot structure to be used around the home, taking up little space and more easily stored than the usual type structure heretofore furnished. It has long been a problem in this field to achieve the desired results of a folding cot which can be easily carried, but which also folds into a single unit and provides foot and head support without rigid cross members.

Existing folding leg cots attach the legs at the end of the side rail supports. This allows the legs to rotate from the bottom of the cot to the top of the cot (approximately 270°) around the end of the side rail support. As a result, none of the support webbing can be attached to the end of the support rails because it will interfere with the leg rotation. This results in the webbing sagging at the front and back of the cot.

To overcome this sagging, existing cots use a rigid bar at the front and back of the cot. The rigid bar is uncomfortable because it places pressure on the head and feet when the cot is in use. Additionally, the rigid bars must be removed and separated from the cot structure when folding the cot. Consequently, these rigid bars can become lost and they increase the time required to fold and unfold the cot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of a cot are described. In one embodiment, the cot is a first side rail with a first member coupled with a hinge to a second member and a second side rail with a first member coupled with a hinge to a second member. The first and second side rails are positioned parallel to each other with a flexible body supporting sheet suspended between the side rails;

A first pair of legs with a first and second leg, with the first leg coupled with a hinge to the first member of the first side rail and to the second leg. The second leg is coupled with a hinge to the first member of the second side rail.

A second pair of legs with a first and second leg, with the first leg coupled with a hinge to the first member of the second side rail and to the second leg. The second leg is coupled with a hinge to the first member of the first side rail.

A third pair of legs with a first leg and second leg with the first leg coupled, with a hinge, to the second member of the first side rail and to the second leg. The second leg is coupled with a hinge to the second member of the second side rail.

A fourth pair of legs with a first leg and a second leg with the first leg coupled with a hinge to the second member of the second side rail and to the second leg. The second leg is coupled with a hinge to the second member of the first side rail.

A fifth pair of legs with a first and second leg with the first leg coupled with a hinge to the first side rail hinge and to the second leg. The second leg is coupled with a hinge to the second side rail hinge. Other embodiments of the system are also described.

Embodiments of a method are also described. In one embodiment, the method is a method for folding a cot. This includes moving a first member of a first side rail and a first member of a second side rail until they are parallel with a second member of the first side rail and a second member of the second side rail. Moving a first pair of legs and second pair of legs toward a bottom of the cot until they are parallel with first side rail and the second side rail. Moving a third pair of legs and a fourth pair of legs toward a bottom of the cot until they are parallel with first side rail and the second side rail. Moving a fifth pair of legs and causing the first side rail and the second side rails to meet together. Other embodiments of the method are also described.

Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 3 depicts a cut section for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 4 depicts and end view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 5 depicts perspective view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 6 depicts a top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 7 depicts a top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 8 depicts a side view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot.

FIG. 9 depicts a method for folding the collapsible cot.

Throughout the description, similar reference numbers may be used to identify similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts the top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1 having a first side rail 4 and a second side rail 8. A center pair of legs 12 and cross supporting legs 20 and cross supporting legs 16. In one embodiment the first side rail 4 and the second side rail 8 are made out of aluminum or steel but it is understood that any rigid suitable material may be used. In one embodiment the center legs 12 and the cross supporting legs 20 and the cross supporting legs 16 are made out of aluminum or steel but it is understood that any rigid suitable material may be used.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1 with second side rail 8. Second side rail 8 has first member 9 and second member 10 which are joined by hinge 11. Hinge 11 can rotate around pivot points 36 a and 36 b. One of the cross supporting legs 16 is attached to second member 10 and can pivot around joint 44. Support leg 28 is joined to second member 10 and can pivot around joint 40. Support leg 28 is joined to one of the cross supporting legs 16 and can pivot around joint 32.

Joint 40 is mirrored for the connection between support leg 24 and first member 9. Joint 44 is mirrored for the connection between one of the cross supporting legs 20 and first member 9. Joint 32 is mirrored for the connection between one of the cross supporting legs 20 and support leg 24. Leaders 48 show the rotation for the joints 40, 44, and 32 and the mirrored joints not labeled. Cross supporting legs 20, support leg 24, cross supporting legs 16 and support leg 28 are rotated toward the bottom of the cot and first member 9 and second member 10 rotate toward the center axis of the cot.

FIG. 3 depicts a cut section for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. The center pair of legs 12 has first leg 61 and second leg 62 which can pivot on joint 52. Second leg 62 is joined to the second side rail 8 and can pivot around joint 56. Joint 56 is mirrored for the connection between first leg 61 and first side rail 4. Foot pads 63 are attached to the bottom of first leg 61 and second leg 62. In one embodiment the foot pads 63 are made from high density poly ethylene, ABS plastics or a suitable combination of both but it is understood that any suitable material may be used.

Leaders 60 show the rotation of joint 52. First leg 61 and second leg 62 are rotated and first side rail 4 and second side rails 8 are brought together.

FIG. 4 depicts an end view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. Cross supporting legs 20 has first leg 76 and second leg 80 which can pivot on joint 64. Second leg 80 is attached to second side rail 8 and support leg 84. Second leg 80 can pivot on second side rail 8 by joint 68. Second leg 80 and support leg 84 can pivot on foot pad 88 b. First leg 76 is attached to first side rail 4 and support leg 24.

First leg 76 and support leg 24 can pivot on foot pad 88 a through joint 72. First leg 76 can pivot on first side rail 4.

In one embodiment the foot pads 88 are made from high density poly ethylene, ABS plastics or a suitable combination of both but it is understood that any suitable material may be used.

Leader 92 shows the rotation of joints 64, 72 and 68 and corresponding joints not labeled. First rail 4 and second rail 8 are brought together and foot pads 88 are brought together and fold under the cot.

FIG. 5 depicts perspective view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. First side rail 4 and second side rail 8 support flexible sheet 96. In one embodiment the flexible sheet 96 is made from canvas, polyester, or nylon material but it is understood that any suitable material may be used. Strap 90 may be wrapped around collapsible cot 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 5 joint 68 is located closer to the second side rail 8 front face than joint 81 and joint 82 is located closer to the second side rail back face than joint 40. Joint 87 is closer to the first side rail 4 front face than joint 86 and joint 85 is closer to the first side rail 4 back face than joint 83. The position of these joints in relation to each other allows the legs to be folded under the cot instead of over and on top of the cot. This allows the flexible sheet 96 to be connected to the side rails at the ends.

FIG. 6 depicts a top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. Straps 100 are attached to flexible sheet 96 and may be used to lift flexible sheet 96. In place of straps 100 any suitable lifting means may be used such as a handle or loop of material. The strap may be single pieces of material where one end of the material is attached to flexible support sheet 96. The handle may be single piece of material where two ends of the material are attached to flexible support sheet 96. The loop may be single piece of looped material where two ends of the material are attached to flexible support sheet 96 at the same location. This embodiment shows two straps 100 but one or more straps, handles or loops may be used. The strap, handle, or loop of material may be of the same material as flexible sheet 96 or any other suitable material may be used. Using straps 100 has of the advantage to prevent flexible sheet from snagging on the legs during folding and allows the collapsible cot 1 to be more easily folded by one person.

FIG. 7 depicts a top view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. Finger holes 104 are located on flexible sheet 96 and may be used to lift flexible sheet 96. This has the advantage to prevent the flexible sheet 96 from snagging on the legs during folding without the use of something attached to the flexible sheet 96.

FIG. 8 depicts a side view for one embodiment of the collapsible cot 1. A hole 108 is located in support leg 28 and side rail 8. A pin 112 may be inserted through the hole 108 to prevent the cot from folding. In one embodiment only two holes are required and may be placed at the hole locations 116 (FIG. 7) but it should be understood that in other embodiments more holes may be used.

FIG. 9 depicts a method for folding the collapsible cot. The steps include removing the pin from the hinge, using the handle to lift the supportive web, bending the side rails until they are parallel, moving the first and the second pair of legs toward the bottom of the cot, moving the fourth pair of legs toward the bottom of the cot, moving the fifth pair of legs to make the side rails close, wrapping the strap around the folded cot.

As can be seen above, the collapsible cot can maintain the flexible support material tight at both ends of the cot without the use of an additional support bar. This is because the flexible material can be attached at the end of the side rails because the support rail folds under the cot not over the cot. Additionally, the collapsible cot folds into a single unit with no loose parts. This allows the cot to be transport and stored more effectively.

Although the operations of the method(s) herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order of the operations of each method may be altered so that certain operations may be performed in an inverse order or so that certain operations may be performed, at least in part, concurrently with other operations. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of distinct operations may be implemented in an intermittent and/or alternating manner.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

1. A method for folding a cot comprising: moving a first member of a first side rail and a first member of a second side rail until they are parallel with a second member of the first side rail and a second member of the second side rail; moving a first pair of legs and second pair of legs toward a bottom of the cot until they are parallel with first side rail and the second side rail; moving a third pair of legs and a fourth pair of legs toward a bottom of the cot until they are parallel with first side rail and the second side rail; and moving a fifth pair of legs and causing the first side rail and the second side rails to meet together.
 2. The method for folding a cot of claim 1 further comprising removing a pin from the first pair of legs.
 3. The method for folding a cot of claim 1 further comprising wrapping a strap around the first side rail and the second side rail.
 4. The method for folding a cot of claim 1 further comprising using a handle to lift a flexible body supporting sheet. 